Anna picked up the phone as soon as she saw it was Jess. She had been screening her calls, not wanting to talk to Emily yet. "We got it, babe!" Jess cheers. She could hear the guys in the backyard cheering.

"That's great you should invite the guys over for some beers." She listened as he offered and the guys accepted. Anna got off the phone with Jess. "They got the investors." She announced to the apartment that it was filled with Jess, Matts, and Chris's friends. They had been preparing a party to celebrate the guys' hard work.

"Thank god, or this would have been bad." Danni sighs.

"I knew they were going to get it. This is a great idea that helps artists." Jaci was lighting the food warmer cans under the aluminum pans.

"I admit I was nervous. It's a great idea but not a guaranteed money maker." Anna put her hands in her back pockets. "The meeting was at the bookstore, so the guys should be here soon." They hurried to put on the finishing touches.


"I got a toast to make." Danni stood up to raise her beer bottle in the air. Despite it being the tenth toast that was made of the evening everyone cheered her on. "This one is too Jaci and Anna. Here to our two favorite girls for getting a promotion at work." Everyone let out yells of cheers and congratulations.

"You got a promotion." Jess looked at his girlfriend in surprise.

"Yeah, I interviewed for it last week. I found out today that I will be a line cook." She nods while sipping her beer.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He tilts his head.

"I was going to tell you tomorrow. I didn't want to take your shine. I feel like we're always celebrating me and my accomplishments. I wanted today to be about you." She tips the bottle in his direction.

"I'm surprised you were able to keep it a secret. You tell me every little detail about your day, down to how many times you went to the bathroom." He teased her.

"Shut up." She pushed him, making him sway in his seat. She did talk about her day with him over dinner. It was mostly about work drama: who was hooking up, fighting, or screwed up majorly. Jess knew everyone's business and was even invested in some of them.

"Seriously though, don't ever deem your shine for me. Us moving forward in our careers means security for us as a couple." He felt that her hiding it almost put a damper on his success. "One of the things I love most about you is how you fill-up the room, so to think of you shrinking yourself to make me bigger is upsetting." He watched as tears built in her eyes. "Oh, shit I didn't know you were at this stage of being drunk yet."

She throws her arms around him as she sobs in his chest. "I'm sorry, I'll never do it again."

"It's alright." He rubs her back. "You won't do it again, so it's fine."

"You forgive me?" She leaned back to wipe the tears away with the back of her hand.

"Yes, of course." He was happy that talking her down when she was in this state was easy.

"You still love me?" She looks up at him with a pout.

He let out a small chuckle at the childish question. "Yeah, I love you."

"I love you too." She throws her arms around him.

He smiled when he felt her lips on his neck, but his eyes went wide when she unbuckled his belt. "Okay, you have to wait for people to leave the apartment and for me to get on the same level as drunk as you." He grabs her hand to place them in her lap before fixing himself.

"Let's kick them out." She smiles with a daze in her eyes.

"After I drink a bit more." He promised. Her giggle filled his ears. It compels him to wrap his arm around her and pull her on his lap. It was a moment that he wished could last forever.


A cell phone was ringing. Anna grabbed it and answered it without looking. "Hello," She grunts.

"You didn't answer my calls for days and now you grunt at me." Emily's sharp tone filled her ears.

"Fuck." She cursed, making Emily scream in her ears.

She puts the phone down as Emily rants about manners. She rolled out of bed and went to the bathroom to splash water on her face. When she went into the bedroom, her grandma's voice was bouncing off the walls and she wasn't on speakerphone. "Hello? Hello? Are you still there?"

She picked up the cell phone. "Sorry, I just woke up." She looked at the alarm clock to see it was 10 am. That was the longest she'd slept in months. Normally, on her day off she still got up around six. An angry meow let her know if her grandma didn't wake her up, someone else would have. She turns to see an angry cat at her door. Sasuke let out another aggressive meow, demanding his breakfast. "Grandma, can I call you back? I have to feed the animals."

"Call me back?" She gasps.

"Yeah, thanks for understanding." She hung up and tossed the phone on the bed. Naruto came running into the room, barking anxiously at her to go along with the angry meows. "I'm coming." She got up to have the animals circle her feet making her laugh. "Herding me makes it take longer to get to the kitchen." She took small steps to avoid kicking them. She took their food bowls from the drying rack. She went about making their breakfast.

While they were eating, she went to her room to call Emily back. "I'm surprised you called me back."

"I told you I would." She sat down on the bed.

"I called you five times yesterday and you never called me back." She scoffs.

"I might not be going to Yale but I'm still living a busy life." She was letting her frustration get the best of her.

"What? Where is this coming from?" She went on the defensive.

"What was last Friday? Why did you insist on Jess coming? You didn't talk to him at all or let him interact with anyone" She wanted her to come clean but she knew it wouldn't be easy.

"I told you why? I wanted Logan to feel welcome." Her tone made it sound like she was talking to a frustrated toddler.

"The way you and Grandpa were drooling all over him, I don't think you need anyone else for that." She sneers. It was truly a disgusting display.

"Anna, you sound jealous of Rory." She accuses her of sibling rivalry.

"No, you won't turn this on me or gaslight me to sound crazy. You won't get me off my main point." She refuses to be played by her. She saw her do it enough times to people, mostly her mother.

"Well, then get to your point because I don't hear anything could have done to offend you." She huffs.

"You invited Jess in an attempt to make him feel small. You gush about Logan and Yale. You were doing an invisible comparison." She hated that it was a brilliant plan. Emily got to put Jess down while kissing up to Logan.

"I told you why…" Emily got cut off.

"Oh right, to appear like a unit. You could never appear like a unit with Jess because you don't know him. You barely even look at him all evening. You didn't care about seeming like a unified family because you didn't want Mom there so why would you need Jess." She did the impossible. She rendered Emily speechless. "Did you pretend to like Jess? You thought he was a high school boyfriend, we were not going to last long so there was no need to ruin anything. Now that we've been living together for a year you tried to put a stop to it because he is not country club material."

"I'm sorry if I gave you that impression. I was excited to meet Ross' new love interest. I like Jess. I was calling to see how his meeting went." Anna seems so much like Lorelai at the moment that Emily is getting scared of being cut off.

Anna let out a bitter laugh. "You only like Logan because he's old money rich. It was stomach-turning how you and Grandpa were all over him. You know all about Logan and his friends' wild adventures. Anytime he's in trouble his dad bailed him out. Yet, you welcome him like he was the perfect gentleman."

"I did the same for Jess, even though he showed up with a black eye." Emily ignores the implication that she is a classist.

"You did and I appreciated that." She took a deep breath. "I wasn't planning on bringing this up because I knew it would be useless because you're not going to admit to anything. You rather make me out to be crazy than to say sorry for doing what you did. I've seen you do this enough to Mom."

"Susanna…" Emily had regret in her heart. She loved how close she and Susanna were. The thought that she might have pushed her away was devastating. But, to admit it would make her the evil grandmother. Anna might forgive her but who's to say that Rory and Lorelai would? She could lose everyone.

Anna let her sit in silence for a minute. "You don't have to say anything. Your silence is enough." She knew it was the best she would get. "I love you. I want to continue to have a good relationship with you, despite this. Jess was not fazed, but I was deeply hurt. If you love me and also want a good relationship with me then you will not interfere in my personal life again. Is that understood?"

"It's understood." She swallows the lump in her throat.

"Alright, I'll see you in a few weeks for Friday night dinner." She hangs up the phone. She laid down on the bed with her legs hanging off it. Despite having just woken up she felt like all her energy was drained. Naruto came into the room to lick her feet. "Come, hon. Let's go for a walk and get mommy a coffee." She got up to make herself presentable to get some much-deserved caffeine.


"I'm so excited." Anna was bouncing on her heels while she held Jess's hand. They were on another fishbowl date.

"Jeez, we aren't even in the building yet." Jess could feel the vibration go through his arm from her movements.

She pulled him into the Clay Cafe. They were greeted by a worker. "Hello, Welcome to Clay Cafe. Have you been here before?"

"No, it's our first time," Jess explains.

"Great. I'll explain the process to you. First, you'll pick a clay figurine or a few if you like. Second, you write the numbers of the colors you want to use on this index card and we'll set up your station. You can order drinks at the cafe to enjoy while you paint. When you're done we'll put the figurines to the side and you'll be able to pick them up in two weeks after we bake them." The female worker explained.

"Thank you." They move to the display of figurines. There were cats, dragons, bunnies, snakes, and other creatures both mythical and real.

"Oh, look at that one." She pointed at a figurine that was a cross between an alien and a dinosaur. "I love it." She picked it up.

"I like it too." Jess grabs another one.

They picked up the color sample sheets. Anna chose different shades of pink, yellow, and black. Jess went with purple, green, and yellow. After handing over the figurines and index cards, they went to the cafe while a worker set up their station.

"Oh, honeydew milk tea." Anna hummed at the yummy thought.

"You know tea has caffeine and you had a large cup of coffee this morning that I'm sure is already too much for your eyes." He reminds her of how dry her eyes would get with caffeine.

She nods before giving the menu another look over. "I'll have a passion fruit slushie." She orders.

"I'll have honeydew milk tea." He got a look of betrayal from her. "I'll let you taste it." And, that brought a smile to her face.

"We'll bring your drinks to your station." A barista told them.

They turn to see the alien dinosaurs on two small turntables with a palette with their chosen colors on it and various paint brushes were laid by each of them. "I don't even know where to start." Anna was over-stimulated.

"How are you like being a line cook?" Jess paints the depth of the mouth black with the smallest brush.

"It's amazing. I like making meals instead of just prepping." She felt like she was one step closer to the dream. "Did you guys get the equipment yet?" She made the body pink.

"No, yet. But, it's coming any day now. The writing has been pouring in so we've been busy." He painted the teeth yellow.

"Have you found any masterpieces yet?" She thanks the worker for bringing the drinks over. She took a small sip not wanting to get a brain freeze. She was happy with her selection.

"I don't know about masterpieces, but I have enjoyed a few." She watches with anticipation while he drinks his milk tea. His face didn't give away if it was good or not.

"Well, how was it?" She stares at the cup.

"I told you I enjoy a few." He played clueless.

"The Milk Tea?" She whines. He laughed while sliding it over to her. "Here, you can try mine too." She pushed it towards him. She tried his drink. "It's like creamy tea. Interesting." She went to take another sip when it was swiped from her.

"You had enough." He gave her back the slushy. She would have protested if she didn't like her drink. She gave the alien dark pink lipstick.

"What are you doing? Are you giving him a green beard?" She watches Jess paint all around his figurine's mouth green.

"No, he's a messy eater and eats other aliens." He gave his backstory.

"Mine is a classy lady. I might give her pearls." She enjoys creating her character.


Jess opens the door, carrying a drunk giggling Anna in. He had picked up her and Jaci from a bar. A group of culinary students went for someone's birthday. After making sure Jaci got into her apartment, they made their way to theirs. Anna stumbled over to the couch, picked up Sasuke, and put him on her chest. "Purr please, it will feel nice." He glares at her to let her know he does not take orders.

Jess took him from her before she got scratched. He put the cat on his tree. He went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. "Here, Babe." He put it down on the coffee table.

She let out a groan but drank it. "I had a lot of fun today."

"I know the giggling hasn't stopped." He teased getting a few more from her.

Her phone rang, making her dig through her purse. She saw that she didn't know the number. "Hello Mystery Caller." She sang.

"Anna, are you drunk?" Rory tilts her head.

"Rory, what phone are you calling from?" She yelled.

"Why are you drunk? I need you sober." She sighs.

"I was celebrating…. A birthday." She slurs, forgetting the name.

"I'm in jail." She knew she would need her to call her mom now.

"You're in jail!" She screeched, making Naruto bark at her feet.

"What!" Jess jumps up to take the phone from her.

"Jee-Ssssss!" She stood up on the couch to get it.

"Sit down and let me handle this." He went into the room and closed the door.

Anna huffs while sitting back down. "Why would Rory get arrested? Maybe she forgot to check out and a librarian thought she was stealing the books. Or maybe she… hmm…" Her clouded brain couldn't think of another. She got up to get some Advil to take, wanting to jump ahead of the headache.

She whipped around when she heard the door open. "What happened?" She ran over so that she was right in front of him.

"She and Logan stole a yacht." Jess put his hand up when she opened her mouth, making her gasp. "I don't know the whole story. The calls are only so long."

"When are we going to get her?" She grabbed her purse.

"I called your mom to give her the details. She is going to pick her up in the morning." He guided her to the bathroom.

"Rory's spending the night in jail." She grabbed onto the sleeves of his long-sleeved shirt.

"It's a smaller station, so yeah it's closed to the public at night." He grabs a wipe to take off her makeup.

"Rory's going to be stuck with murders." Tears build in her eyes.

"No, Rory said no one in her cell with her. Now take a shower and go to sleep. By the time you wake up, Rory will be out of jail." He threw the wipe in the trash. "You're going to be good to shower by yourself?"

"Yeah, after all that I hardly feel buzz." She assured him. He gave her a peck on the forehead before going to crash on the bed. She felt refreshed after the shower and thought she wouldn't be able to sleep but was soon proven wrong when her head hit the pillow.